Arrests made in Ferndale murder

The Daily Inter Lake

Two men have been arrested in connection with the Dec. 31 shooting death of a Ferndale man.

Ronald Lon Petersen, 19, and Zachary Forkin, 19, of Bigfork, were taken into custody Sunday for the murder of Clyde Wilson, 24, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

After receiving an anonymous tip, investigators searched a Marken Lane residence and conducted follow-up interviews with some of the people involved.

Based on evidence obtained from the search and the interviews, an arrest warrant for Petersen was issued. Authorities did not disclose what evidence led them to suspect that Petersen and Forkin were involved in Wilson's death.

Petersen was arrested late Sunday at Fort Bragg Army Base near Fayetteville, N.C., by local authorities and awaits extradition back to Montana. Forkin was arrested in Montana and is being held in the Lake County jail.

According to authorities, Wilson was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds in his Meadow Creek Road home at about 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 31. Deputies were reportedly called to the residence after shots were fired.

Detectives ruled out robbery as a motive for the shooting early into the investigation. However, few details about the shooting itself have been released.

Detectives and the Lake County District Attorney spent several days processing the crime scene and interviewing family members. Evidence collected at the crime scene was taken to the state crime lab in Missoula for analysis.

Both Flathead and Lake County Sheriff's deputies responded to the original call. According to reports, Wilson lived in the home with his girlfriend and young child.

The murder is still under investigation, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. Further information was not available Monday night.